During Hurricane Sandy, lines could be seen going around the block at virtually every gas station as people tried to secure some for their vehicles. This, not because of the city itself, but because oil refineries in New Jersey had sustained damage. So today’s NPR post about security concerns during the shutdown raised some similar sentiments.

The lesson here is that as people become more interconnected and interested in efficiency over independence when it comes to running things, the creakier the jenga tower gets. People can’t agree on paying for the policies of a health care bill that was already once agreed on, and suddenly national security is in many ways compromised. When does it all come tumbling down?